Sun Ra - August 17, 1971 "I Roam The Cosmos"

I expect this will be a real treat for the hard-core Sun RAdiophiles.  I hope you will enjoy this as we mark the anniversary of Ra's harmonic assimilation with the infinite.

These stereo recordings are from Michael D. Anderson's personal tape archive.  He gives the date of the performances as August 17, 1971 and  believes that they were probably recorded at Slug's in NYC.  These remarkable performances are from the same concert as the Saturn LP UNIVERSE IN BLUE and are presented in Stereo, unlike the LP which was released in Mono.  Originally, these tracks were quite long -- 2 at 30+ minutes each, an the 3rd at nearly an hour so I've taken the liberty of breaking them into shorter segments and adding what I consider are appropriate titles.  Rest assured, no material was lost or removed during the editing.

In the summer of 2008, “The Good Doctor” at ESP-Disk’ produced a six-part internet radio tribute to Sun Ra which included over two hours of music from this concert -- recorded in stereo, amazingly enough. Even more surprising, “Universe in Blue Pts.1&2” is presented uncut and it sounds much better than my “needle-drop” of the LP. (Curiously, the rest of Universe in Blue is not found on the broadcast, adding further confusion about possible recording dates.) After some polite applause, a fifteen-minute “Intergalactic Research” follows with another extended tenor workout from Gilmore. “Discipline 27” allows the full ensemble to shine on this sweetly harmonized swing number. The thirty-minute “Blackman” is very different from the LP version, beyond its extraordinary length. Without introduction, Tyson begins by singing a cappella with Marshall Allen soon joining in on some wiggly oboe. Allen then takes over with a thrilling solo as a roiling groove is built up in the rhythm section, Pat Patrick leading the band with the hypnotic three-note riff on baritone sax. Suddenly, a male voice (Eloe Omoe?) starts yodeling and carrying on hysterically, compelling Tyson to resume her incantatory singing. At the eleven minute mark, Ra embarks on a lengthy declamation, assuming the role of the resurrected Pharaoh, who has returned from outer space to lead his people back to Egypt, away from "the path of destruction." “Destiny rules and fate decides and I command both of them!” he exclaims. After twenty minutes of feverish ranting, the piece ends quietly with tick-tock-ing percussion and distant, muted trumpet. Another fifty-three minute segment posthumously entitled, “I Roam the Cosmos,” starts out with a brief solo statement from Danny Davis followed by Tyson singing the newly composed “Astro Black” over a massively slowed-down “Love in Outer Space”-type groove. Soon after, Ra begins hectoring the audience about the usual subjects: race, outer space, and doing the impossible -- “Give up your death for me!” he insists at one point, with Tyson echoing virtually every word of his tirade. Meanwhile, the Arkestra noodles around on the two-chord vamp with Hadi and Akh Tal Ebah providing running commentary on trumpet and flugelhorn, respectively. Overlong, it does get a bit tedious, but Ra’s preaching is simultaneously terrifying and laugh-out-loud funny.

from Nuvoid's Sun Ra Sunday Universe in Blue review

I Roam The Cosmos

August 17, 1971

                                        1. Universe in Blue                14:03
                                        2. Intergalactic Research            11:29
                                        3. Discipline 27                11:14
                                  4. I Roam the Cosmos - Sax Intro        1:08
                                  5. I Roam the Cosmos - D27II            5:24
                                  6. I Roam the Cosmos - Declamation pt 1    7:06
                                  7. I Roam the Cosmos - Declamation pt 2    11:55

                                  8. I Roam the Cosmos - Declamation pt 3    10:57

                                  9. I Roam the Cosmos - Declamation pt 4    7:04
                                10. I Roam the Cosmos - Declamation pt 5    5:46
                                11. I Roam the Cosmos - Declamation pt 6    3:36
                                      12. Blackman - Intro                11:37
                                      13. Blackman - Declamation            14:19
                                      14. Blackman - Outro                4:16

I Roam The Cosmos has now been officially released with greatly improved sound quality. 

Sun Ra - Sunrise in Different Dimensions (1980)

A recent blog discussion revealed that this 1980 LP may be worthy of a Sun Ra Top 10 Greatest Album recognition status but only if it includes all of the tracks originally issued on the Hat Hut LP.  Unfortunately, the CD reissue lacks three tracks that appeared on the original album.  I own the CD and Paul W. graciously offered to supply the missing LP tracks for  us.  Because Side C of the LP traces three songs in their order of performance interrupted only by audience applause, I have included all substituting the LP version of 'Disguised Gods...' in place of the CD version so as not to disturb the flow of the event.  As always,  Many Thanks to Paul W. for the missing LP tracks.  I hope you enjoy this hybrid CD/LP version of this classic album.

 This double LP features a live concert by Sun Ra & the Arkestra in Switzerland. The only fault to the set is that the two drummers (Chris Henderson and Eric Walker) fail to swing and often sound wooden on the vintage standards, which might be due to the lack of a bassist. However, the nonet (which also includes Ra on piano and organ, tenor great John Gilmore, altoist Marshall Allen, baritonist Danny Thompson, the reeds of Kenneth Williams and Noel Scott, and trumpeter Michael Ray), despite its slightly odd instrumentation, is heard throughout in excellent form. In addition to eight diverse and generally adventurous untitled originals by Ra, the ensemble performs ragged and eccentric versions of such 1930s pieces as "'Big John's Special," "Yeah Man," "Queer Notions," "Limehouse Blues," and "King Porter Stomp." For the remainder of his life, Sun Ra would alternate between reinventions of swing tunes and his outer space originals; despite the drummers, this was one of the better examples of his late-period band.

AMG Review by Scott Yanow

318. [251] Sun Ra and his Arkestra
Sunrise in Different Dimensions

Sun Ra (p, org, syn, cond, voc); Michael Ray (tp, flg, voc); Marshall Allen (as, ob, fl, picc, kora, perc); Noël Scott (as, bars, fl, dance, perc); John Gilmore (ts, cl, timb, voc); Danny Ray Thompson (bars, fl, perc); Kenny Williams (ts, bars, fl); Samarai Celestial [Eric Walker] (d); Chris Henderson (d); June Tyson (voc, dance).

Gastof Mohren, Willisau,
Switzerland, February 24, 1980

Hat Hut 2R17, a 2-LP set titled Sunrise in Different Dimensions, was released in 1980.  All titles were reissued in 1986 on the 2-LP set hat Art 2017.  The Ra compositions were left untitled on the original release.  They were presumably given titles by Sun Ra at a later time; some copies of 2R17 include a separate sheet with the complete track titles (Francesco Martinelli).  Complete track titles did not appear on all copies of the reissue LP.

In 1991, all but three Ra compositions ("Provocative Celestials," "Love in Outer Space," and "On Jupiter") were included in hat Art 6099 [CD].  Information from the album jacket; specifics of the location from Stahl's discography.

According to Otto Flückiger and Armin Büttner, nearly everything from both sets of this engagement (except "A Helio-Hello") was recorded on a 150-minute audience tape.  In addition, there is an essentially complete 75-minute tape from the rehearsal earlier that day.

Samarai Celestial says that this was the very first concert of the tour and that the Arkestra's ranks increased as the tour continued.
from The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

Sunrise in Different Dimensions

1.  Light From A Hidden Sun   3:51
2.  Pin-Points Of Spiral Prisms   4:41
3.  Silhouettes Of The Shadow World   7:21
4.  Cocktails For Two   3:21
5.  'Round Midnight   6:41
6.  Lady Bird-Half Nelson   8:00
7.  Big John's Special   3:38
8.  Yeah Man!   3:25

9.  Provocative Celestials*   11:05
10. Love in Outer Space*   5:11
11. Disguised Gods in Skullduggery Rendezvous*   9:16
12. Queer Notions   2:43
13. Limehouse Blues   3:44
14. King Porter Stomp   3:32
15. Take The A Train   5:07
16. Lightnin'   2:43
17. On Jupiter*   3:54
18. A Helio-Hello! And Goodbye Too!   3:11

* LP tracks

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Marshall Allen

Meistro Marshall Allen turns 87 today.

Marshall Allen played reeds with Sun Ra for decades. Matthew Shipp has created one of the most distinctive piano voices of his generation. Joe Morris anchors on bass, an instrument he mastered after first establishing himself as a guitarist. At the CareFusion Newport Folk Festival in Newport, R.I., the meeting of three top free improvisers performing Night Suites 1-5.
Personnel: Marshall Allen, winds; Matthew Shipp, piano; Joe Morris, bass.
Available for streaming or download HERE.


direct download link
(left click to play, right click to save)

Marshall's bio at AMG:

A longtime member of Sun Ra's Arkestra, alto saxophonist Marshall Allen later assumed leadership of the group following the deaths of Ra and his immediate successor, John Gilmore. He was also a regular collaborator of Babatunde Olatunji, in the process emerging as one of the first jazz musicians to fuse the avant-garde with traditional African music.

Allen was born May 25, 1924, in Louisville, KY, beginning clarinet lessons at the age of ten. After enlisting with the U.S. Army's renowned Buffalo Soldiers in 1942, he played clarinet and alto saxophone with the 17th Division Special Service Band, subsequently forming a trio with pianist Art Simmons and guitarist Don Byas while stationed in Paris. After spending the late '40s touring and recording behind James Moody, Allen studied at the Paris Conservatory of Music before returning stateside in 1951, settling in Chicago and forming his own dance band. He also began writing his first original compositions.

Circa 1956, Allen met Sun Ra, joining the pianist's legendary Arkestra two years later. He would go on to lead its reed section for more than four decades, over time earning renown as one of the most distinctive and original saxophonists of the postwar era. In tandem with tenorist Gilmore and baritone saxophonist Pat Patrick, Allen played on more than 200 Sun Ra recordings. He also developed his own reed instrument (dubbed the "morrow") by attaching a saxophone mouthpiece to an open-hole wooden body but failed to patent his creation, which is now commercially available under different names.

Whenever the Arkestra went on hiatus, Allen moonlighted with Olatunji and his Drums of Passion, even learning to build and play the West African multi-stringed instrument the kora; he also guested on live dates and recordings headlined by a multitude of next-generation musicians, including jam band Phish, avant rock combo Sonic Youth, and hip-hop upstarts Digable Planets. When Sun Ra died in 1993, the Arkestra's reins were handed to Gilmore, who himself passed away two years later; at that point Allen assumed control, leading the 18-piece ensemble well into the next millennium. In addition to giving master classes, lectures, and demonstrations of Sun Ra's enduring creative principles, Allen also founded the El Ra label, home to such latter-day Arkestra recordings as A Song for the Sun and Music for the 21st Century. 

by Jason Ankeny

In 2005, Marshall released a stunning album of duets with NRBQ pianist Terry Adams called Ten by Two.  The CD artwork is a throwback to the glory years of Sun Records, with the album title simply stating that 10 tracks are from the two performers, pianist Terry Adams (NRBQ) - who also plays a Yamaha DX-7 synthesizer - and alto saxophonist Marshall Allen (Sun Ra Arkestra).

Five numbers each are from the August 18, 1996, performance at the Brooklyn Museum and June 27, 1997, set during the Toronto DowntownJazz Festival. What makes the pairing click is how they easily flow into any number of musical genres - classic pop, jazz, avant-garde, blues - without a hitch. A neat gem is "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" - the iconic masterpiece from Hal David and Burt Bacharach - while the ragtime vibe is vivacious throughout "My Little Brother."

Adams and Allen obviously have a special professional/personal respect for each other and it is clearly heard note-by-note during the serious fun.
Amazon Review

Ten By Two 

1.    Prelude To A Kiss (Live)   5:57
2.    Wrong Gasket (Live)   3:29
3.    Cocktails For Two (Live)   3:50
4.    Blue Skies (Live)   5:20
5.    Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head (Live)   2:56
6.    Friday The 13th (Live)   4:30
7.    Hey Little Brother (Live)   4:39
8.    Interstellar Low Ways (Live)   5:22
9.    I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good (Live)   4:44
10.  Evil Art (Live)   3:45

 

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Sun Ra short - Space is INDEED the Place!

For The Evil Prince

Nice, isn't it?

Uploaded by leevioutrageous on Nov 4, 2010

animation based on sun ra's "world equation"

On The Intergalactic Causeway - A BWBW Compilation

One of my favorite blogs, Birds With Broken Wings, recently posted an excellent 3-part collection of 'late nite dispatches' from Ra.'  Stop over, take a look around, and let Miles know what you think.

Viscosity and Thermonuclear Breakdown

Sun Ra Arrival Day Tribute by Charles Blass

On May 16, 2011 Charles Blass broadcast another of his wonderful Sun Ra Arrival Day tributes.  This one clocks in at over 5 hours of great radio.  Please enjoy as we celebrate the

97th anniversary of Sun Ra's arrival on Planet Earth.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

http://www.lovevolv.org/2011/05/sun-ra-arrival-sun-radio-omniversity.html

1. Along Came Ra / Children of the Sun (Lost Arkestra Series)
2. Theme of the Stargazers / Enlightment (Cleveland 1975)
3. Saturn (Jazz in Silhouette: Images and Forecasts of Tomorrow, 1958)
4. Moon People (Sun Ra Quartet, New Steps, 1978)
5. I Am Gonna Unmask the Batman (feat. Ebah, Rocket Ship Rock)
6. Rocket Ship Rock (feat. Yochanon, Rocket Ship Rock)
7. Teenager’s Letter of Promises (Juanita Rogers, Interplanetary Melodies)
8. Untitled (Squat Theater, NYC, 17 Jan. 1981)
9. Planet Earth Day (Pleiades, with Orchestra, France, 1990)
10. Sophisticated Lady (Cleveland, 1975)
11. Exactly Like You (Sun Ra Quartet, New Steps, 1978)
12. Blue Intensity (Nuclear War, 1982)
13. Intergalactic Research (Rehearsal, 1971)
14. Sun Ra Interview intro (unidentified) / Orbiting (excerpt, Fillmore West, 14 Nov. 1968)
15. Sun Ra Interview with Detroit Black Journal, 1981 (Pt.1)PART 2
16. Enlightment / Love in Outer Space / King Porter Stomp (Montreux Jazz Festival, 9 July 1976)
17. Ankhnaton (Fate in a Pleasant Mood, 1960)
18. Planet Earth (Sun Ra Visits Planet Earth, 1957)
19. Ancient Aiethopia (Jazz in Silhouette, 1958)
20. Sun Ra Interview intro (unidentified) / Worlds Approaching (take 2, NYC July 1966)
21. Sun Ra Interview with Detroit Black Journal, 1981 (Pt.2)
22. Velvet (Janus, 1968)
23. Yesterdays (Reflections in Blue, 1986)
24. The Eternal Myth Revealed – excerpt 1 (compiled/narrated by Michael Anderson for Transparency)
25. Smile (feat. June Tyson) (Nuclear War, 1982)
26. Retrospect (Nuclear War, 1982)
27. Love On a Far Away Planet (Hours After, 1986)
28. Friend and Friendship (Sun Ra Quartet, New Steps, 1978)
29. October (Saturn single, 1958)
30. Lights On a Satellite (Art Forms of Dimensions Tomorrow, 1962)
31. Discipline No. 1 (Mayan Temples, 1990)
32. Space Mates (Fate in a Pleasant Mood, 1960)
33. Manhattan Undertones (solo synthesizer c.1987, from Sun Ra 1987 WKCR tape)
34. Sun Ra Interview with Detroit Black Journal, 1981 (Pt.3)
35. The Eternal Myth Revealed – excerpt 2 (compiled/narrated by Michael Anderson for Transparency)
36. Black Sky and Blue Moon (Nu Sounds, c.1954, from Sun Ra 1987 WKCR tape)
37. Holiday for Strings (Nu Sounds, c.1954, from Sun Ra 1987 WKCR tape)
38. The Eternal Myth Revealed – excerpt 3 (compiled/narrated by Michael Anderson for Transparency)
39. Solar Drums (Art Forms of Dimensions Tomorrow, 1962)
40. ‘Dark Forces’ (excerpt, Cairo, 1971) / Sun Ra recitation (unidentified)
41. I Am Gonna Unmask the Batman (Lacy Gibson) (extended version, Rocket Ship Rock)
42. Space is the Place (excerpt, Helsinki, 1971)

Sun Ra Arkestra featuring Rusty Morgan

Rusty Morgan is Arkestra percussionist, Atakatune's sister.  She performed with Sun Ra during the late 1970's.  This soulful number was recorded in 1979 and comes from Michael D. Anderson's epic ESP Radio program wherein he spent a leisurely 14 hours escorting us through Sun Ra's history.  I expect to post more from this series at a later date but for now, please enjoy the brief but exciting Blame Shame.

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New Rip: Sun Ra - Astro Black (1973)

If you have never heard this album.  You need this now.

An astute reader notified me recently that the songs in my existing post of Astro Black were not divided properly.  I checked and sure enough the division between Discipline 99 and Hidden Spheres was approx. 1 minute early (no music was lost - the tracks were simply divided incorrectly).  

Fortunately, our Supreme Saturn Benefactor, Paul W, was able to provide us with a fresh LP rip of this album.  Paul W's new rip includes several new scans of the LP jacket & labels and features Side B as one complete track.

According to the jacket of Astro Black, Sun Ra’s first new recording for ABC/Impulse! was made at “El Saturn Studio” in Chicago on May 7, 1972, but that date is questionable since the Arkestra was just leaving California in May -- and the studio name is “strictly mythic” (Campbell & Trent p.186) Whatever the date or actual location, it was clearly made in a professional recording studio as the sound quality is exceptionally good. Sun Ra was obviously determined to take advantage of the mass exposure a major label could bring, producing one his finest albums. Notably, Ronnie Boykins makes a welcome return on bass after a long absence and he is prominently featured here, driving the band to great heights. The Arkestra is augmented with both Akh Tal Ebah and Kwami Hadi on trumpets, Charles Stephens on trombone, Alzo Wright on violin and viola, along with several conga players, who give much of this record its avant-exotica feel. But Boykins’s clearly inspires Sonny and his fluent explorations on organ and synthesizer throughout the album demonstrate a consummate mastery of electronic instruments. Astro Black is, in my opinion, one of Sun Ra’s crowning recorded achievements.

(continue reading at Rodger Coleman's fantastic NuVoid - Sun Ra Sundays blog)

Impulse AS-9255, Astro Black, was released in 1973.  Personnel and date from the Impulse jacket; the location was identified as "El Saturn Studio," but that is strictly mythic.  There is some question about the precise date as well, because the Arkestra was just leaving Oakland in May 1972.  "The Cosmo-Fire, Part II" also appeared on an Impulse Sampler LP, ASD-9267, titled No Energy Crisis.  "Astro Black" also appeared in abridged form on an Impulse sampler called Impulsively!, Impulse 1973 or AS-9266.  The "mistro-clarinet" was presumably an alto model.

From The Earthly Recordings of Sun Ra 2nd ed.

Astro Black

(Paul W's LP rip)
1. Astro Black   10:50
2. Discipline 99   4:45
3. Hidden Spheres   7:02
4. The Cosmo-Fire   18:22

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Sun Ra (Mini-Moog syn, e-vib, org); Akh Tal Ebah (tp); Lamont McClamb [Kwame Hadi] (tp); Charles Stephens (tb); Marshall Allen (as); Danny Davis (as); John Gilmore (ts, perc); Danny Ray Thompson (bars); Eloe Omoe (bcl); Pat Patrick (mistro-cl); Alzo Wright (vln, vla); Ronnie Boykins (b); Tommy Hunter (d); Atakatume [Stanley Morgan] (cga); Odun [Russell Branch] (cga); Chica (cga); Ruth Wright (voc); June Tyson (voc).

Studio Recording, Chicago, May 7, 1972

Astro Black
(Yotte's LP rip)

1. Astro Black    10:53 

2. Discipline "99"    3:41 

3. Hidden Spheres    8:05 

4. The Cosmo-Fire (part 1)    6:57 

5. The Cosmo-Fire (part 2)    7:08 

6. The Cosmo-Fire (part 3)    4:17

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The images in this rip were collected from the web (as are most images at this site).  I tried my best to take some digital photos of my LP but the results are marginal at best.  I've included my pics in the download files.

Sun Ra - Some Blues but Not the Kind That's Blue (1978)

 

Fantastic. Another rare Saturn release makes its way into the digital realm. This time, it's Some Blues But Not the Kind That's Blue, a nice 1977 date that's heavy on standards. Aside from the two Sun Ra tunes (one of which had been unreleased prior to this), this is a pretty inside date with some major statements from Ra on piano and John Gilmore on tenor. Everyone gets a bit of solo room, and the flutes and bass clarinet add some really nice colors, especially on "My Favorite Things," a song so closely identified with the John Coltrane Quartet that this version is almost startling in its contrast to Coltrane's myriad versions. Aside from the title track and the two earlier bonus takes of "I'll Get By," there is no bass player present, the low end falling mostly to Ra's piano. 

 

Luqman Ali's drumming, as always, is remarkable in its tasty understatement. The bonus tracks are a wonderful addition. "Untitled" was recorded at the same 1977 sessions but didn't make the album cut. The other tracks are rehearsals, presumably from the Ra house on Morton St. in Philadelphia. They're two takes on "I'll Get By" with Ra on organ and the great Ronnie Boykins on a particularly well-recorded bass with Akh Tal Ebah on trumpet on one take and John Gilmore on tenor on the other. It's interesting to hear these rehearsals in relation to the same song's arrangement from a few years later. Although recorded about a decade apart, Some Blues But Not the Kind That's Blue is of a piece with Blue Delight: mostly standards albums that really put the spotlight on Sun Ra's piano playing and the tenor artistry of John Gilmore. Although the Arkestra is notorious for its outside playing and cacophonous tendencies, this album shows they could play it straight as well as anyone in the game. Wonderful stuff.

AMG Review by Sean Westergaard

 256. [209] Sun Ra and his Arkestra

Some Blues but Not the Kind That's Blue

Sun Ra (p.); Akh Tal Ebah (tp); Marshall Allen (as, fl); Danny Davis (as, fl); John Gilmore (ts); James Jacson (fl, bsn); Eloe Omoe (bcl); Richard "Radu" Williams (b -1); Luqman Ali [Edward Skinner] (d); Atakatune (cga).

Variety Recording Studio, NYC, October 14, 1977

Some Blues but Not the Kind That's Blue (Ra) -1
I'll Get By (Turk-Ahlert)
My Favorite Things (Rodgers-Hammerstein)
Nature Boy (Ahbez)
Tenderly (Morrison-Lawrence-Gross)
Black Magic (Mercer-Arlen)

Saturn LP 101477, Some Blues but Not the Kind That's Blue, was released on the Chicago El Saturn label in 1978.  It has also carried the serial numbers 1014077 and 747,  Alternative titles are My Favorite Things and Nature Boy.  ct suggests that all of the titles (with the possible exception of "Some Blues") were recorded during a single studio session.  Personnel from Geerken's discography, corrected by Abdullah, who verifies the presence of Ebah on trumpet.  Michael Ray's first performance with Sun Ra was an outdoor concert in a park in Germantown, Philadelphia, early in the fall of 1977.
From The Earthly Recordings of Sun Ra 2nd ed.

Sun Ra & His Arkestra: Some Blues But Not the Kind That’s Blue (Atavistic UMS 265)

Recorded 10/14/77
Reissue of Saturn LP 101477 (1978)

Atavistic deserves our unending gratitude for continuing to make available to us poor, stranded Earthlings more delightful batches of rare Sun Ra obscurities via John Corbett’s “Unheard Music Series.” Hot on the heels of last year’s reissue of Strange Strings and Night of the Purple Moon (both of which are essential), comes Some Blues But Not the Kind That’s Blue. Ostensibly a set of “standards” (with a couple of Ra originals thrown in), these renditions are so abstracted and downright weird that it’s clear only Sun Ra could have conceived of these hoary old chestnuts in quite this way. For example, “My Favorite Things” manages to escape an easy comparison to John Coltrane’s iconic take by relaxing the rhythm, spicing it with Latin-ish percussion, and spacing out the harmonies. “Nature Boy” unfolds as a brooding, rhapsodic vehicle for piano and woodwinds that barely hints at the overly-familiar melody. What’s amazing is that, no matter how “straight-ahead” this music might appear on the surface, it’s always still a little bit “out” – and that’s one of the interesting things about Sun Ra’s music. As weird as it sometimes gets, it’s never too far removed from the blues and jazz syntax.

Another thing that fascinates me about Sun Ra’s Saturn LPs (which were, for the most part, hand-made artifacts) is that, despite - maybe even because of - the poor sound quality, the records are deeply affecting. I find this fascinating because I consider myself, if not an audiophile (because I am not wealthy), at least someone who cares a lot about sound quality. When I encounter poor fidelity, I’m not likely to keep listening unless there is some very compelling reason. Life is too short for bad sound! But with Sun Ra, it’s different; the off-kilter soundstages often result in delightfully fortuitous sonic effects and the overall atmosphere is intensely intimate, surreptitious (almost voyeuristic) and downright magical, like capturing lightning in a bottle. (It also occurs to me that this same phenomenon occurs with Robert Pollard’s lo-fi recordings, which effectively evoke the long-lost era of “classic rock” and Beatles bootlegs, but that is another subject altogether.)

Continue reading at NuVoid's Sun Ra Sundays

Some Blues but Not the Kind That's Blue

                                     Some Blues But Not The Kind That's Blue   8:15
                                            I'll Get By   7:19
                                            My Favorite Things   10:02
                                            Untitled   7:06
                                            Nature Boy   8:53
                                            Tenderly   7:30
                                            Black Magic   8:39
                                            I'll Get By (Bonus Track)   7:24
                                            I'll Get By (Bonus Track 2)   6:43

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Sun Ra - Cosmos (1976)

First issued in France on Cobra COB 37001, Cosmos, in 1976.  Also issued shortly thereafter on Musicdistribution 600005 and Inner City IC 1020.  All tracks reissued in France on Buda 82479 [CD] in 1991; unfortunately, Bunn's electric bass is mixed too loud on this reissue.  Information from the album jacket.  The band had to be reduced in size because of the smallness of the studio (Vincent Chancey).  According to Buzelin and Hardy's 1979 discography, the Arkestra recorded an (unissued) album's worth of Duke Ellington tunes the same day.  Abdullah, however, says this report is incorrect.

233. [200] Sun Ra
COSMOS

Sun Ra (Rocksichord); Ahmed Abdullah (tp); Craig Harris (tb); Vincent Chancey (Fr hn); Marshall Allen (as, fl); Danny Davis (as, fl); John Gilmore (ts); Danny Ray Thompson (bars, fl); Eloe Omoe (bcl, fl); James Jacson (fl, bsn); R. Anthony Bunn (cb); Larry Bright (d).

Studio Hautefeuille, Paris, August 1976

from The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

CD Scans

Edit:  New links HERE.  

The blog mentioned below has removed their post.

This CD was recently posted at the amazing jazz blog, música en espiral, where you will find it in both FLAC and mp3 320k offerings.  The blog is packed full of wonderful avant garde and left of center jazz.  If you stop by, be sure to thank Guairao for his kindness, generosity, and fantastic good taste!

Sun Ra: Cosmos (Spalax 14561) (1999)

Recorded at Studio Hautefeuille, Paris, France, August 1976
Originally released as Cobra (France) COB 37001 (1976)

According to Robert L. Campbell’s discography (1st ed.), this LP was also issued on Musicdistribution 60005 and Inner City IC 1020 shortly after the original Cobra release. It was first re-issued on compact disc by the French Buda label (82479) but the original CD apparently suffers from a boomingly bass-heavy mix. This 1999 issue on Spalax purports to correct that deficiency - but I’m not so sure; it sounds lopsided still, with prominent electric bass and distant drums. Regardless, this is one of my very favorite Sun Ra records.

The sonic imbalances no doubt have to something to do with the cramped quarters of the recording studio. According to French horn player (!), Vincent Chauncey, the Arkestra was reduced to a core group of twelve musicians for this session due to the limited space (Campbell (1st ed.) p.73). Oh, but what a group! Along with Chauncey, Ra’s faithful stalwarts, John Gilmore, Marshall Allen, Danny Davis, Danny Thompson, Elo Omoe, and Jac Jackson fill out the reed section while Ahmed Abdullah plays sensitive, tasteful trumpet and the incredible Craig Harris virtuosically holds down the trombone chair. The rhythm section consists of R. Anthony Bunn on (nice, but overloud) electric bass, Larry Bright on (barely audible) drums, and, of course, Sun Ra himself on the electric Rocksichord. Caught in the midst of a European tour, the Arkestra sounds well-rehearsed, at the top of their game.
Continue reading at NuVoid's Sun Ra Sunday

Sun Ra - Somewhere Else (1989)

Four different groups led by Sun Ra are featured on this intriguing if generally ragged set. Although Ra's usual band members of the period appear on most of the cuts (including singer June Tyson, trumpeter Michael Ray, altoist Marshall Allen and tenor saxophonist John Gilmore), this CD also has many musicians one would not expect in this setting during 1988-89: drummer Billy Higgins, trombonist Julian Priester, Don Cherry on pocket trumpet, altoist James Spaulding and (briefly out of retirement) trumpeter Tommy Turrentine. The ensembles perform some typically eccentric Ra compositions, including "Stardust for Tomorrow," "Love In Outer Space" and "Hole In the Sky," in bands ranging from four (the unusual quartet of Cherry, Spaulding, Ra and singer Tyson) to 22 pieces. Due to the variety and very interesting personnel, plus many examples of the keyboardist/leader stretching himself, this somewhat obscure effort is easily recommended to Sun Ra collectors. 

AMG Review by Scott Yanow

This CD is or should be significant to Sun Ra listeners. It constitutes one of Sun Ra's last studio sessions prior to his first in a series of strokes which ended his earthly life on May 30, 1993.  While one can quibble with such fancifully detached notions as whether this represents the best value for the money, the true worth of the album resides in several other non-material dimensions.  For example, the arrangement of "Somewhere Else" played here is very different in feeling and tone than that offered on the album My Brother the Wind, Vol. II. 

Apart from this, the tone, touch, and strength that Sun Ra displays in his piano playing, illustrates why he must be considered among the very greatest innovators, composers and arrangers ever produced by the music. His versatility and accessibility in a number of different "idioms" of so called Jazz is completely unparalleled by anyone in Jazz history including the Titans like Ellington, Henderson, Monk, Mingus, Coltrane, and others.

The real Treasure of this release however is "A Hole in the Sky". Don Cherry (Pocket Trumpet), Marshall Allen (Alto), Pat Patrick (Alto) [incorrect, see below] complemented and spurred by Sun Ra's energy and drive on synthesizer really paint a vivid picture of the range of new energies and new possibilities that might positively and supra-energetically flow into our lives if a figurative "Hole in the Sky" were opened. By the way listen carefully to the propulsively energetic ensemble drumming (Bugs Hunter, Luqman Ali, Lex Humphries or Samarai Walker) in this composition, it is among the very best you are likely to hear for quite a while.

Another sleeper here is "Everything is Space". This tune was previously released on a limited addition printed by the band during the mid-seventies. As with Somewhere Else it represents a very different treatment than the initial release.

On a bottom line basis, this CD not only contains histroical and artistic treasures, but also illustrates the fact that Sun Ra NEVER did a composition the same way twice. Among his many other musical virtues this characteristic places him in a class by himself. 

Amazon review by "Astro-Black" 

597. [398] Sun Ra

Blue Delight /
Somewhere Else
Sun Ra (p, syn); Fred Adams (tp); Tommy Turrentine (tp); Ahmed Abdullah (tp); Al Evans (flg, Fr hn); Tyrone Hill (tb); Julian Priester (tb); Marshall Allen (as, fl, ob, cl in A); Noël Scott (as, perc); John Gilmore (ts, cl, timb); Danny Ray Thompson (bars, fl, bgo); Eloe Omoe (bcl, as, cacl, perc); James Jacson (bsn, fl, Inf-d); Bruce Edwards (eg); Carl LeBlanc (eg - all solos); John Ore (b); Billy Higgins (d); Earl "Buster" Smith (d); Elson Nascimento (surdo grande, perc); Jaribu Shahid [Ben Henderson] (voc -1); Tani Tabbal (voc -1).

Variety Recording Studios, NYC, December 5, 1988

Love in Outer Space (Ra)
Everything is Space (Ra) -1

598. [399] Sun Ra
Somewhere Else

Julian Priester (tb -1); Sun Ra (p, syn); John Ore (b); Jaribu Shahid [Ben Henderson] (b); Billy Higgins (d); Earl "Buster" Smith (d). 

same session

Priest (Ra) -1
Tristar (Ra)

639. [421] Sun Ra

Purple Night /
Somewhere Else
Sun Ra (p, syn, voc); Don Cherry (pocket tp); Fred Adams (tp); Michael Ray (tp, voc); Ahmed Abdullah (tp, voc); Jothan Callins (tp); Al Evans (tp, flg); Tyrone Hill (tb); Julian Priester (tb); James Spaulding (as, fl); Marshall Allen (as, fl, perc); John Gilmore (ts, timb, voc); Reynold Scott (bars, fl); James Jacson (bsn, Inf-d); Rollo Radford (eb); John Ore (b); Earl C. "Buster" Smith (d); Samarai Celestial (d); Thomas "Bugs" Hunter (d); Elson Nascimento (surdo grande, perc); Jorge Silva (repinique, perc); June Tyson (voc, vln).

BMG Studios, NYC, mid-November 1989

Discipline/Tall Trees in the Sun (Ra)
'SWonderful (Gershwin)
Hole in the Sky (Ra)
Somewhere Else Part 1 (Ra)
Somewhere Else Part 2 (Ra)
Stardust from Tomorrow (Ra) [JT voc]

from The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

S o m e w h e r e   E l s e 

1.    Priest                    4:07
 2.    Discipline / Tall Trees In The Sun    8:29
 3.    'S Wonderful                5:36
 4.    Hole In The Sky                7:34
 5.    Somewhere Else, Part 1            8:42
 6.    Somewhere Else, Part 2            2:41
 7.    Stardust For Tomorrow            4:59
 8.    Love In Outer Space            12:04
 9.    Everything Is Space            4:00
10.    Tristar                    3:33

FLAC

or

320

May 2012
Check comments in these 3 posts for new links!

related releases
Purple Night
Blue Delight

Updated: Sun Ra - The Soul Vibrations Of Man (1977)

Saturn has just reissued this remarkable album on 180g vinyl and my copy arrived yesterday.  While listening, I realized that the wonderful rip provided by our friend, Paul W. was lacking approx. 45 seconds at the end of side A.  I've decided to provide a new rip and a couple of extra scans for those interested. 

New FLAC rip
RS
HF
 
or

New 320k rip
RS
HF

258. [211] Sun Ra
The Soul Vibrations of Man /
Taking a Chance on Chances

Sun Ra (p, org, declamation); Michael Ray (tp, voc); Ahmed Abdullah (tp, voc); Vincent Chancey (Fr hn); Marshall Allen (as, ob, fl, perc); Danny Davis (as, fl, perc); John Gilmore (ts, cl, timb, voc); Danny Ray Thompson (bars, fl, perc); Eloe Omoe (bcl, fl, perc); James Jacson (fl, bsn, Inf-d, voc); Richard "Radu" Williams (b); Thomas Hunter (d); Luqman Ali (d); Atakatune (cga, perc); Eddie Thomas [Thomas Thaddeus] (perc, voc); June Tyson (voc).

Jazz Showcase, Chicago, November 1977.

 

 Another thanks to Paul W. for his lossless LP rip!

Saturn LP 771, The Soul Vibrations of Man, was released on the Chicago label in 1977, as was its companion volume, Saturn LP 772, Taking a Chance on Chances.  

There are no track titles on The Soul Vibrations of Man, only titles for Side A and Side B.  Track titles were provided by rlc, ct, and Ahmed Abdullah.  Abdullah suggests either Storyville, NYC, in late October 1977, or the Jazz Showcase, November 1977; the personnel (there are no trombonists and no sign of Emmett McDonald's bass horn) and the muddy recording quality suggest a different origin from the Storyville material.  Personnel assumed to be similar to Unity, minus Ebah, the trombonists, and the bass horn.  Trumpet soloists (identified by Abdullah): Untitled Improvisation, Michael Ray; "Halloween in Harlem," Ahmed Abdullah. 

from Earthly Recordings 2nd ed, Campbell/Trent

The Soul Vibrations Of Man

Saturn LP 771 (1977)

Sometimes the Universe Speaks 6:39
Pleiades 4:37
Third Heaven 5:24

When There Is No Sun  0:44
Halloween in Harlem 5:13
Untitled Improvisation 3:13
The Shadow World 13:13

FLAC

or

320

Back Scans - jpg

I remembered that the LP back cover is reproduced in Freedom Rhythm & Sound  so I've put together some scans for you.  My scanner will not stitch together record sleeve sized pictures very well so I did my best to include all the details.

Illustrations of Sun Ra Inspiration

Adventure-Equation reader edo camacho has invited us to view his (her?) wonderful illustrations.   There are many jazz inspired creations to peruse.

Please visit and leave a comment!

Talking About Sun Ra - Duke Univ symposium Sept. 2009

In September 2009, the Pathways To Unknown Worlds: Sun Ra, El Saturn and Chicago's Afro-Futurist Underground 1954-1968 exhibition traveled to Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.  The exhibition opened Friday August 21 and ran through Sunday October 18th.  Attendees were treated to a 'public conversation' meeting with Art Jenkins and Marshall Allen followed by a 'panel discussion' with the exhibition's curators, John Corbett, Terri Kapsalis, and Anthony Elms.  Fortunately for us, the sessions were filmed and are available for viewing/download at iTunes U.  For those unwilling or unable to access them at iTunes, I have them available below.

The public conversation was followed by a panel discussion featuring the exhibitions curators.

During the sessions, several references to recent publications were made so I took the liberty of scanning some of the pages mentioned as well as a few that I find interesting or exemplary of Ra's genius word play and meaning-mutations.

Claude Dangerfield cover design, never used 1960

The Magic Lie, book design and layout, never produced

 

 I don't give a hoot

 

Johnny One Note

Claude Dangerfield, cover design never used 1960

Saturn statement of business purpose

Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise Tour: 'Enlightenment' (2011) video

From what I can gather, the Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise Tour is/was a collective made up of members of various Athens, GA rock bands.  I can't believe how great this version of "Enlightenment" is.  One guy plays the saw, for cryin' out loud!